Kop van een koe 1812 - 1878

Frederik Lodewijk Huygens created this study of a cow’s head with etching, a printmaking technique dependent on the controlled action of acid on metal. To make this print, Huygens would have first coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. He then scratched an image into that coating, exposing the metal underneath. Finally, he submerged the plate in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, incising them. The plate could then be inked and printed to produce multiple identical images. The etching process is notable here. It mimics the freedom of drawing with a pen, capturing the texture of the cow’s fur and the subtle play of light and shadow. The marks, like the labor of animal husbandry itself, are made with care. This print connects to the broader history of representing animals in art, but also prompts us to consider the labor involved in producing both the image and the milk and meat that cows provide. In the end, this work encourages us to appreciate the skill and effort behind both artistic creation and agricultural work.